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Posion Ivy & Dogs?

Has anyone heard of Cavies getting posion ivy? I found some in my back yard and was wondering if that rather then the occasional flea bite is the cause of BB's scratching. BTW, her scratching is not excessive and is centered on the back leg area, I have also found some small bumps but not enough to really be a rash.

I don't think they react to it, but I'd check with your vet. A vet can also verify if there's perhaps some flea dermatitis or other allergies happening.

Be sure to read up on syringomyelia as well -- it can cause anything from no, to mild, to aggravated scratching (and usually tends to worsen over time); to pretty much any part of the body including hindquarters (biting at hindquarters can also be an issue with SM). I would not overly worry if that is all you are seeing but it is essential that all cavalier owners be familiar with it as sadly the rate in the breed is so high. One of my SM dogs with a smallish syrinx mostly scratches and bites at her hind legs/feet/hindquarters. A lot of people think SM only causes scratching at the head or ears but this isn't true. But a lot of things have similar symptoms so it's good to check anything recurring out with a vet to make sure your dog is as comfortable as possible.

I'm not sure how dogs react to poison ivy or poison oak, but my friend's dogs would always get into poison oak on camping trips and it never seemed to bother them, but they would carry it on their coat or skin and it would get transferred to everyone who would pet them or cuddle them. My friend was highly sensitive to poison oak and had to go on steroids quite frequently the year they were always at this cabin. But I'm not sure if the ivy would cause little Bebe to scratch.

A long time age travelling from Cicincinatti to Chicago at night with my cousin Theresa her husband Kevin who is native to Chicago and our Steve ,we had to stop for
a call of nature and Kevin vaulted a low wall but didn't ralise there was a drop the other side and landed amongst a load of Poison Ivy at the bottom .

When I had foster beagles we lived in a house with a HUGE back yard. Well, one summer I got a real bad case of poison ivy, my doctor put me on steroids to rid of it. Well it cleared up then came back (what...I have not been around any poison ivy) I know I'm really allergic to it I know what it looks like. So I ask my husband, hey have you seen any out around the yard, he said no. So, back to the doctor you another round of steroids, my doctor thinks I'm stupid or something and even has the nurse print out a flier about how the id poison ivy. Well, I leave the flier on the kitchen counter with a bunch of other junk mail...my husband reads the flier. Guess what I wasn't the stupid one he was, we had poison ivy growing all over the place towards the very back of the yard and guess how I was getting it.....yep the dogs. Beagles are hunting dogs so maybe their coat is different??? I don't know but they were not bothered at all.

Too funny Melissa! I looked up some pictures and believe I have about 4 spots in the "natural" areas of my back yard. I think BB is running around and the itching is right around her inner thigh and tummy area where the hair is not so thick. I only found a few bumps though so as mentioned earlier - could be a flea allergy. Thank heavens I have not gotten any poison ivy from BB though!!!!! I am not sure I would have figured that one out

Has anyone heard of Cavies getting posion ivy? I found some in my back yard and was wondering if that rather then the occasional flea bite is the cause of BB's scratching. BTW, her scratching is not excessive and is centered on the back leg area, I have also found some small bumps but not enough to really be a rash.

Your dog might be suffering grass allergy.

Sophie has been biting and scratching like mad, starting ten days ago. The annual grass allergy has kicked in. Oh joy ... NOT! She never does this except June thru November. Once the Bermuda grass sends up those seed spikes, she is a mess. When the Bermuda grass goes dormant, our life returns to normal. I'm giving her Chlor-Trimeton for now (it is helping more than Benadryl did) and trying to keep her off yards with Bermuda grass when we walk.

The trainer where Sophie boards told me that one of his client's dogs is allergic to Fescue grass. Ugh . . .